Registration opens today for Golf Canada’s Amateur Championships, CN Future Links and Canadian Women’s Tour events.

Competitors looking to play in one of Golf Canada’s eight national amateur championships, six CN Future Links stops or three Canadian Women’s Tour events can view the championship schedule and register online by clicking here.

Canadian Women’s Tour returns for its 13^th season

Golf Canada is pleased to announce the schedule for the 2014 Canadian Women’s Tour – Canada’s only women’s professional golf tour.

This season’s scheduled stops include May 12-14 at Morningstar Golf Club in Parksville, B.C., June 23-25 at Legends on the Niagara in Niagara Falls, Ont. and the Tour’s final stop set for early July in Alberta to be announced in the coming days.

New for 2014, the top five (previously the top 3) players on the Canadian Women’s Tour season-ending Order of Merit will be awarded direct entry into LPGA Stage 2 Qualifying.

In addition, the champion of each Canadian Women’s Tour stop will receive an exemption into the 2014 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open. As well, following the conclusion of play at the final Canadian Women’s Tour event, two (2) additional exemptions will be awarded to the top competitors, not otherwise exempt, on the 2014 Canadian Women’s Tour Order of Merit.

Groove Specifications for 2014 Golf Canada Championships

Golf Canada has determined our plans to implement the new groove specifications for our championships starting in 2014. The Rules Committee recently approved the following:

• Introduce the groove condition of competition for the 2014 Canadian Men’s Amateur and the 2014 Canadian Women’s Amateur.  Note: this does not automatically include the qualifying events for these championships.  Please refer to the conditions of competitions at your respective provincial amateur championships.

• Introduce the groove condition of competition at all other championships (national amateur championships, CN Future Links, and Canadian Women’s Tour events) beginning in 2016.

For more information on the groove specification: Groove FAQ for Golf Canada Championships

David Schultz won his first Canadian Men’s Senior title in style, sinking a crucial birdie putt on the final hole at The Briars Golf Club.

As the overnight co-leader, Schultz had been in contention from the opening day of the championship. Needing a birdie on the last to win, Schultz stuck what he called ‘the best 9-iron of his career’ from the middle of the 18th fairway to four feet.

“It was right at the limit of a 9-iron, 143 yards and was as good as I could have hit it,” Schultz said.

Schultz converted the birdie putt in front of a large gallery to finish at 6-under 278 and claimed his first Canadian Men’s Senior title after a 2-under 69 on Friday.

“I was unbelievably nervous over that putt, to have a chance I thought I’d have to birdie to tie,” he said after walking off the 18th green. “I didn’t expect Chip to bogey the last hole, he’s such a good player and to come out on top is something else.”

The 1999 Canadian Mid-Amateur champion withstood a final day charge from defending champion Chip Lutz, who carded a 3-under 68 on Friday. Lutz held the outright-lead walking down the 18th fairway but failed to get up and down for par after pushing his approach shot into the deep greenside rough. The two-time champion finished at 5-under 279 for the championship.

With the victory, Schultz also earned an exemption into the USGA’s Senior Amateur Championship at Wade Hampton Golf Club in Cashiers, N.C., September 21-26.

“That’ll be fun to go and represent Canada there,” he continued. “I’ve thought about qualifying a few times but this is the best way to qualify for it, so I’m pretty happy.”

South Carolina’s Duke Delcher finished in solo third at 4-under 280 after a final round 2-under 69, while Pemberton B.C., native Lance Lundy, finished in fourth at 2-under after a final round 68. Frank MacKenzie of Edmonton, Alta., rounded out the top-five finishing at 1-under par 283 for the championship.

David Schultz and Jay Blumenfeld share the lead heading into the final round of the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship at The Briars Golf Club.

Overnight leader Chip Lutz opened the door for the new leaders after posting a 4-over 75 on Thursday that included a double and a triple-bogey. Playing alongside Lutz, Schultz capitalized by rolling in three-straight birdies on No. 7, 8 and 9 to reach 7-under for the championship but carded three straight bogeys on his closing nine to card a 1-over 72 and finish at 4-under 209.

“I made three in a row and then I made three in a row the wrong way on the back-nine,” Schultz said. “A few sloppy shots, nothing awful just not a very good back-nine.”

Playing in the group behind the leaders, Blumenfeld of Parsippany, N.J., fired a 2-under 69 and said he kept control of his game but was surprised to see Lutz stumble on day three.

“Just kept it in control and in play, I didn’t do anything great or terrible,” Blumenfeld said. “I took advantage of a couple of good shots and made a couple of nice putts.”

“I’m shocked that Chip is only at 2-under, he’s a good buddy of mine and a great player,” he continued.

Calgary native, Howard Broun, sits in third at 3-under 210 after an even-par 71 on Thursday.  He will play in the final group alongside fellow Calgarian Schultz, who stated they’ve played many different tournaments together over the past 30 years.

“It’s nice to play with someone from where you’re from,” Broun said. “Today I was a bit shaky to start with a bogey but then made eight pars in a row and a couple of birdies coming in but bogeyed the last but I’m happy with it.”

Neither Schultz or Broun currently have an exemption into USGA’s Senior Amateur Championship at Wade Hampton Golf Club in Cashiers, N.C., September 21-26 and both golfers said they are very keen to earn the winner’s exemption into the prestigious event.

As the two-time defending champion Lutz, heads into the final round two strokes back of the leaders in solo fourth at 2-under for the championship alongside Duke Delcher of Bluffton, S.C., who carded a third round even-par 71.

Chip Lutz continued his solid play on Canadian soil, posting a 2-under 69 at the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship at The Briars Golf Club.

Lutz, the defending champion, got off to a good start on Wednesday carding two birdies over his first seven holes but said a few three-putts got in the way of a round that should have been better.

“I three-putted No. 17, which was disappointing but turned and birdied No. 3 to get back to 2-under,” Lutz said. “It looked like I might get some momentum going but I failed to birdie No. 4 like yesterday and three-putted again on No. 7.”

Despite a few hiccups with his putter, the Reading, Pa., native rolled in a crucial birdie on the par-5 9th after a nice approach from the greenside bunker to break free of a tie with Calgary’s David Schultz.

“That really helped to have a little more of a positive feel after finishing an average day that felt like it was going to be better but never materialized,” the two-time defending champion said.

With 36-holes remaining, the No. 6 ranked player in Golfweek’s Senior Amateur rankings sits at 6-under 136 and has a chance at becoming only the third player to capture the Canadian Senior Men’s Amateur Championship three years in a row.

“I’m just happy to play my game and see where it falls,” he said. “I only hope to be close at the end and that I’ll have a chance coming down the stretch.”

Schultz trails Lutz by a single stroke after posting a 2-under 69 on Wednesday. The Calgary native carded five birdies during his second round and will be paired with Lutz in the last group tomorrow.

“I’m going to go have fun, chase him and see what happens,” Schultz said. “I’m looking forward to it.”

Howard Broun of Calgary carded the round of the day at The Briars after a 4-under 67. Broun currently sits three strokes off the lead in third, while Americans Duke Delcher of Bluffton, S.C., and Jay Blumenfeld of Parsippany, N.J., sit in a tie for fourth at 2-under par.

In the Inter-Provincial Team Championship, the Team Alberta contingent of Howard Broun of Calgary, Floyd Kilgore of Grimshaw, Alta., and Frank Van Dornick of Camrose, Alta., fired a 4-under 138 to capture their second straight Phil Farley trophy with a 2-under 282 total.  The squad finished seven strokes ahead of overnight leader Team British Columbia who carded a final round 6-over 148.

In the battle for the Super Senior title (70+), Robert Fugere of Gatineau, Que., defeated Walt Martin of Oakton, Va., on the third sudden-death playoff hole after they finished the day tied at 6-over for the championship. Fugere, the Canadian Senior Men’s Champion in 2005, sank a short birdie putt on the par-4 10th hole to earn his first Super Senior title.